The Dallas Stars were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs late Tuesday in what was great news on social media for fans of former Grand Rapids Griffins coach Todd Nelson.

Nelson, an assistant coach with the Stars, is considered one of the candidates to become the next head coach of the Edmonton Oilers under the direction of new general manager Ken Holland.

Nelson was the interim coach of the Oilers in 20-14-15 and then became the coach of the Griffins for three seasons where he led the team to the Calder Cup Trophy in 2017. He left after last season to become an assistant under Jim Montgomery with the Stars after name was bantered about for the head coaching job in Arizona after the 2017 season.

Holland usually has connection with coaches before hiring them which would lean one to Todd Nelson in Dallas but he said "that's getting harder to do." In Pacific Division, several experienced head men Gallant, DeBoer, Peters. So of course Tippett very much in picture.

Holland has plenty of names to consider if he’s interested in tapping into the Red Wings pipeline. Among them: Red Wings assistant - and former Pittsburgh Penguins coach - Dan Bylsma, and former Red Wings assistants in Jim Hiller (Toronto Maple Leafs assistant), Tony Granato (University of Wisconsin) or John Torchetti (coach and director of Junior team Moncton Wildcats).